Air cooling means



`April l1, 1939. J J. YocH AIR COOLlNG MEANS Filed Sept. 25,l 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig 4' /l/l/ll INVENTOR l d BY TORNEY April 11, 1939.

J. J. YOCH AIR COOLING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.'

.-TORNEY.

April 11, 1939. 1 1 YOCH 2,154,226

AIR COOLING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1935 :5 sheets-sheet s o I Fl/g'- INVENTOR.'

Figo?. f/Mq EY.

Patented Apr. 11, 1939 PATENT OFFICE AIR CGOLING MEANS James J. Yoch, St. Ilouis, Mo.

Application September 25, 1935, Serial No. 42,042

claims.

This invention relates to coolingl apparatus and ,Y more particularly to thattype of cooling appaf ratus which is adapted to cool either airr or water,

and with it or them other fluids approximately to the wet bulb reading of the atmosphere.

One of the particular uses of the invention is ,to cool a condenser coil for a refrigerating system, and at the same time provide cooling for water used as a heat exchange agent in a jacket above the'cylinder of a refrigerant compressor. One of the virtues of this invention is that water t used for cooling is constantly recirculated, where- :as in pressure systems using tap water for cool- "I'jing, the water after being used once is wasted.

object of the' invention, therefore, is to provide improved.apparatusy which is simple in construction, durable in service, eicient in operation, and economical to use, which will reduce temperatures of'a vfluid medium from a comparatively high temperature to lapproximately a Wet `bulb reading of the atmosphere at room conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a condenser for a refrigerating system with improved cooling means therefor which will be simple, eficient and economical.

Otherand specific objects will be apparent from the following detaildescription takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, while many inherent advantages of the invention will also be apparent from the description.

Fig. l is a side elevation of an enclosed structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2, Fig'.` 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged.

scale showing the addition of a water pump;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of an alternate type of device; and 45 Fig. 'l is a sectional view on line 1 1, Fig. 6. The drawings show the invention embodied in a device particularly suitable for use as a condenser in a refrigerating system, with means for cooling and recirculated water in a circuit to the water level.

end 6 of the cover 4. The lower portion of the housing provides atank 1` adapted for holding a body of water, the maximum level of the water being indicated by the numeral 8.

Water may be supplied to the tank I by any convenient means. As 'specifically shown, it is supplied through a pipe controlled by a manually operable valve 9 andjthewater may be drained from the tank through a nipple I0, which is normally closed by a `removable cap I I. A float I2 is adapted to automatically maintain a constant and proper water level. A blower I3 fixed on a shaft I4 isA suspended substantially above the water line 8. A motor I5, shown as directly connected to the blower I3 by the shaft I4, is secured by bolts I6 to a bracket I1, which in turn is rigidly secured to a housing I8 for the blower I3 by bolts I9.

A star shaped continuous vertical baffle plate 20 is attached to the underside 2| of the blower housing I8: The baiile 20 is so shaped, positioned and arranged as to permit water to be drawn from ,the tank 1 into the blower, where it is mixed with air without, however, materially affecting the amount of air taken in by the blower. 'Ihe bottom edge of the baille 20 is above the When the blower is in operation the baille connes a section of the air stream thereby producing an eiective suction upon the surface of the water. At the same time the turbulence of the air stream causes the water to splash, in which condition it is more readily taken up by the air stream. By the 'arrangement described, a substantial quantity of water is lifted with the air stream into the blower, where it is intimately mixed with the air. By making the baille 20 star shaped, the necessary turbulence of the air stream is obtained to splash the water and an additional advantage'is obtained. By using an irregular shaped device a greater opening for admission of air is obtained as compared with a circular baiile. This is important because the lower edge of the baille must be close to the water, and the additional opening afforded by the use of an irregular shape adds materially to the efficiency of the device. y

The intake end 22, of the tube 23 carrying the refrigerant fluid to the condenser coils enters the housing I through an opening 24, and connects with a header 25. The header 25 joins the top row 26 of coils 21, thereby separating the refrigerant fluid into anumber of streams carried by the coils 21. The bottom row 28, of the first series of coils 21, are joined together by another header 29,"and the refrigerant uid emerges in one stream through the tube 30, which tu'be 38 continues to a second series oi coils 3|. The tube 32, carrying the cooled iiuid, passes through an opening 33 in the housing I, and thence returns to a refrigeratin'g unit or evaporator (not shown in the drawings).

Fins 34, support the iirst series ot coils 21. and also gather moisture, thereby aiding and increasing the evaporation process. The iins 34 also assist in eliminating moisture from the air-water stream. The coils 3| are suspended above the iloor 35 of the coil housing 35, leaving a space 31 for water to ilow under the coils 3|. A row oi' holes 38 in the oor 35 of the coil housing 38 permits the water to iow back to the tank 1.

In the operation of the device, the blower I3 draws air through an intake opening in the bottom of the blower housing I8, causing a suction or partial vacuum and, assisted by the form and arrangement of the baille plate 20, draws with the air a substantial-amount o! water from the tank 1. 'I'he blower I3 includes a series oi.' plates 40 which, rotating at a high rate of speed, breaks up the water into small particles and thus an air-water spray is expelled by the blower toward and upon the coils 21. The tubes and coils 21 are placed in staggered relationship to each other, as plainly shown in Flgs.3 and 4 thereby serving as a series of baille plates upon which free water from the air-water mixture collects. 'I'he iins or plates 34 also collect water. 'The Water so collected trickles down to the lower coil 3| and ows around and under the coil along the iioor 35 to make an exit from the condenser housing 36 of the tank 1. It will be understood that additional corrugated ns may be placed in the air .exit 5 to eliminate yfurther moisture ii desired.

'I'he water, which is being recirculated by being drawn from the tank 1 and projected against the condenser coils` and then returned to the tank 1, is being cooled by evaporation to approximately the wet bulbtemperature oi air received through the inlet 2. T'his water may be used, therefore, for heat exchange purposes and in a refrigerating system may be used to cool the cylinder of a compressor used in the refrigerating system. InFig. 5 an addition is illustrated which includes a water pump 42 driven by the shaft i4 which in this case is extended downward. The pump 42 is adapted to force a stream of water through a pipe 43 leading tothe compressor cylinder (not shown in the drawings) and thence through another pipe 43a back to the tank 1.

An alternate type of cooler is shownin Figs. 6 and '1, in which a pump is employed, not only to circulate the water to the cylinder oi the compressor but also to project a stream of water upon the plates of the blower. In the device speciically illustrated in these figures, air enters an intake 44, ows downwardly between a coil housing 45 and an outer housing 45 and is drawn upwardly by a propeller type fan 41. A water pump 42 forces a stream of water through a pipe 48 and a smaller pipe 43, connected at 50, with the pipe 48, the pipe 448 continuing outwardly through the wall of the housing 4B for connection to the cylinder jacket of a water cooled compressor, not shown in the drawings. The pipe 48 enters the coil housing d5 through a hole 5| and terminates at the nozzle 52, positioned and arranged to cause a stream of water to now downwardly upon the fan 41. This water stream is broken into a spray by the revolution of the fan 41, and an air-water spray is thus forced unwardly and around coils 53 carrying the refrig- 45 and 48 for use in evaporating units. 'Ihe coils 53 are staggered to catch most of the free water in the air-water stream and a helical baille 80,

or other eliminator may be inserted in an air outlet 5| it desired.

'I'he fan 41 is driven by a directly connected motor 62 through a common shaft 53. The motor 62 is enclosed in a housing 54 which has an air inlet 85 and an air outlet 65. The air outlet 55 is connected to the air space between the housings 45 and 45, and thus the ian 41 causes a suction at the outlet 68 to produce a current of vair inwardly through the inlet 65 about the motor and' outwardly at the port 66.

The housing of the device may be supported by legs |23. A cord |24 with a plug |25 allows the motor to be attached to any convenient outlet for power.

While the invention has been described as embodied in a device used as a condenser for a vrefrigerating system and to cool water for use in the water jacket about the cylinder of an air compressor, the invention can be applied wherever it may be useful to cool air or water, or other iluids, to a temperature equivalent to the wet bulb reading of the atmosphere in which the device may be placed. It will be obvious, therefore, that various changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the scope of this invention, and that parts of the invention may be used without the whole.

It is understood that the words blower, fan, air, "water", etc., are intended to be broad and comprehensive and to include within their scope equivalents which will service the purpose of the particular features or aspect of the invention deiined by the clai Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benet of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use oi parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. An apparatus of the character described, consisting of a tank adapted to hold a body of water, an air intake and an air outlet in the above-mentioned tank, a blower adapted to circulate air and water, a plurality of coils placed in the path of the circulating air and water, the said coils adapted to convey refrigerant iiuids, ns adapted to suspend the above-mentioned coils, the said iins also adapted to gather part of the moisture from the air-water current. a coil connected below thel mst-mentioned coil, whereby water will trickle from the above-mem tioned ns uppn said coil, and power means to revolve the above-mentioned blower.

2. In refrigerating apparatus, a housing adapted for holding waterat its bottom, a cen-- trifugal blower mounted in said housing in spaced relation above the surface of the water, a stationary baille between the blower and the water positioned so as to cause water to be entrained in 'an air stream induced by the blower, an air intak'e and an air outlet in the housing, and coils in the housing adapted for conveying refrigerating iiulds and positioned in the path of the water laden air stream from the blower.

3. In refrigerating apparatus, a blower mounted in spaced relation above a body of water, and

by the blower, an air intake and an air outlet in the housing, and coils in the housing adapted for conveying a refrigerant uid and positioned in the lpath of the water laden air stream from the a star shaped vertical baille mounted beneath the blower and spaced above the said surface of the water.

4. In refrigerating apparatus, a housing adapted for holding' water at its bottom, means for maintaining a constant water level in the housing, a 4centrifugal blower mounted vin said housing with its inlet in spaced relation above the water, a stationary baille between the blower and the water positioned so as to cause water to be entrained in an air stream induced housing having an air intake spaced above the Water, condenser coils in the inner housing and a blower in the inner housing adapted to draw air through the air intake of the outer housing over the body of Water and through the intake of the inner housing and to project it against said coils, and a baille between the air intake of the inner housing and the body of water to increase the turbulence of the air stream and cause the water to be splashed and entrained in the air stream. JAMES J. YQCH. 

